Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-12-05
allonth's Column
Ulrica's Guest

ish voice across the stone kitchen.
but Ulrica did not answer.
Sorry day it is with such as I, >
complained the voice mot hand
TO stir the embers, but l do it my
self: and not a blessing to count
from DAYS end to DAYS end. Ulrica
Ulnea -
This time the door flew quickly
open, letting in a flood of light, and.
with it, Ulrica, a scrap out of breath
ssWhere now, butterfly" inquired
the voice half kindly and half cross
You called and came replied
Ulrica. and her words seemed to say,
81 came because / must, not because
liked to - at least so 1t appeared
to poor granny, bending over the
fire.
s.Why did you not come sooner,
then: Say, Ulrica, what have you
been about"
Ulrica did not answer. A flush
stole over her cheek, and her head
and eyes dropped a little toward
the two hands which were locked fast
together.
Granny dropped the fagots, for
minute, to look up. What was
the meaning of it, to be sure,
when the child would not even give
an answer.
.sWhat evil thing has come upon
me now she moaned. ''Christine
did III when she died, leaving me
with this tricky BARN. VIII you
speak and tell me where you were
.sIn the sun, answered Ulrica,
and granny, before she had time TO
say more, repeated, lin the sun :!
and that is not half the answer;
what were you doing in the SUM-?
Ulrica's fingers held each other
tightly; she could not be silent; she
did not like to answer, but she said
softly:
II forgot everything when 1 heard
the voices praising HIM, and l knelt
to speak with Him too, where l had
stood in the sun
WHO: What" inquired granny,
incoherently; lis anybody in the
cOurt?"
.sDo not be frightened, said IL
RIGA, springing closer TO granny lit
was only the good God, and the
voices were the voices under the bel
fry; do YOU not remember!-it was
not the Emperor, because he Is
across the sea, but it was somebody
said the world should give thanks
to-day"
.sOut upon you, Ulrica what have
YOU TO do with that? we are not tax
ing aims, though / doubt but we
soon may be, as matters are running
This is our own pork, Ulrica, bought
with the money saved years agone,
and as to the porridge, you helped to
gather the peas yourself >
ssYes," said Ulrica timidly; she
saw that granny had mistaken hen
entirely.
''Who did you say you were talk
ing with" inquired granny and
what was it about yonder belfry:
'sThere are voices praising Him !;
let me open the door granny. and
YOU come out in the court; it Is like
the voices of Eastertide.''
But granny shrank from the cool
wind, and the thought of an open
door.
''But you said you were speaking
in the court" persisted granny is
it some evil you are at: how do you
know but it may be some thief of
these bad streets: what was it you
were about, and what did yon have
TO say"
Ulrica Strengthened up with grave
dignity before such words. Would
granny always misunderstood her
She replied gravely:
To-day is the day for pFaising
the good God more almost than any
day, and ! heard the voices, and
knew He must be listening, and
prayed, kneeling In the sun. There
was no one in the court. there was
no guest but the good God and l. .
Granny dropped the tOngs, as be-
fore she dropped the fagots. Kneel-
ing upon the hearth she gave one
long, steady look toward Ulrica.
Her ears had not deceived her. but
could it be possible that Christine g
wicked little child. who was always
forgetting and upsetting everything,
could speak so in her ears, as though
the Mighty One on high had stopped
10 listen while she spoke to him, out
there in the sun of her own poor
court: Yes and at the very minute
when she had better been minding
her business and doing the bidding
of her elders.
Show dare YOU be profane and
speak so to your granny" cried the
angry voice, ''as though the good
God wonld listen if you did pray ;
and what is your praise to him: You
are a wicked one, UIrica. a wicked
one?''
Ulrca started backward as though
struck by barb
1.-The Christ died" replied Ulrica,
thinking aloud Elf l do wrong am
sorry: if / am sorry. God forgives."